


Falling for You

by Nux



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Confessions, Fluff, Football | Soccer, M/M, Self-induced angst, concussion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:40:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24731716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nux/pseuds/Nux
Summary: It's the day of the big game and Jeno plans on confessing to Jaemin, his crush of three years; unfortunately the world wants differently and he ends up kicking the ball at the other.
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Kudos: 79
Collections: NOMIN FIC FEST





	Falling for You

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I hope this fic gives just a little feel of that you (the prompter) wanted! 🙈 It was cute, really and I had fun working with it!
> 
> Prompt: Jeno is playing football and when he sees Jaemin, the class president and his crush for the past 3 years, he messed up and ends kicking the ball directly to Jaemin, who is sent to the infirmary. Should he go to see how is Jaemin?

There’s a deafening silence that settles over the field and bleachers; everyone seemingly holding their breath. Jeno holds his breath too and he feels the pressure rising with every second that ticks by.

“Dude, just focus on the ball, okay? You can do it, the team believes in you.” 

“Yeah! C’mon—!”

Jeno breathes in deeply. He closes his eyes, pretends for a second that it’s just him and the football in the whole world and then he opens his eyes again. He glances towards the bleachers and it’s a big mistake because his gaze instantly lands on Na Jaemin; his crush of three years. Suddenly he loses his footing and when he kicks the ball it soars through the air, though it doesn’t take the course Jeno wants it to take. Instead, he watches as it heads towards the bleachers and he hears the surprised gasps and sounds from the onlookers and then, right before his eyes, he sees Jaemin get hit by the football and fall to the ground. 

With his eyes wide, Jeno let’s out a gasp himself and he runs towards the bleachers frantically, suddenly not caring about the game. There’s a small crowd around jaemin already, and a teacher is kneeling by the young man’s side. Jeno sees Donghyuck too. They exchange a quick look and, before Jeno can even say anything, Donghyuck says, “He's alive, don’t worry. He just passed out.”

It doesn’t really make Jeno any less stressed out but he nods slowly; pretends what happened doesn’t make him even more jittery. 

Around them, there’s a low buzz going on, everyone on the bleachers talking amongst themselves. There’s someone in the background calling for the game to be paused. Jeno doesn’t doesn’t listen though, only moves out of his spot as he feels someone grab his arm and when he looks up, it’s Mark. The two teachers who had gathered around Jaemin call the nurse’s office and then, after the short phone call, they carry him towards the school infirmary. 

Their trainer then calls them in for a small meeting and Mark almost has to physically tug him with him; Jeno constantly looking behind himself to see if he can still see Jaemin. it isn’t until their trainer calls for his attention loudly that Jeno finally looks at the man. He gets told he can’t leave, not yet at least, and Jeno feels as if he’s on pins and needles as he returns to the field. Everything feels that much harder though; kind of like he’s walking in a dream and like he can’t focus on anything. He gets to sit on the side for the next penalty kick. 

The other team has their turn. They kick. The goalie catches it. The crowd gasps collectively. Their team goes again to do the penalty kick. He can hear Mark getting cheered on this time, can see him from his peripheral as he walks into the field but after that, it’s like everything fades into the distance. Everything becomes a background blur.

Then, suddenly, there’s an even louder cheer coming from the bleachers and it pulls Jeno from his slightly dulled state enough to look up. He’s met by the sight of his teammates cheering, and then he sees Donghyuck coming running towards him, across the field and everything. He must looked confused, because Donghyuck suddenly yells excitedly, “You guys won—!” The three words make Jeno stand up quickly and for a second the anxiety he had built up bleeds away and he jumps and cheers with Donghyuck for a second; them winning had been what they’ve worked for all season. 

Eventually, they calm down and Donghyuck sends him a slightly crooked, but proud all the same, smile.

“C’mon, we shouldn’t let Jaemin wait, right? Maybe when he wakes up you can ask him out like you planned to do after you guys won,” Donghyuck says, and Jeno takes it for what it is; mostly teasing. He rolls his eyes at the younger and then sends a look down to the ground for a split second before turning around to grab his things.

He tells the coach—and his teammates—as he and Donghyuck run by that they’ll join the celebrations later. 

________________

The closer they get to the infirmary, the more hesitant Jeno grows. By the time they’re only a few rooms away, he’s all anxious and jittery again though he tries to not let it show on his face. Donghyuck leads the way and keeps babbling on about this and that; about school and people Jeno doesn’t even know. 

Eventually they stop outside a door. 

Jeno stares at it for more than a few seconds and he watches the laminated sign on the door that reads nurse. He knocks timidly. It feels like an eternity passes before the door opens and it’s the school nurse, looking less than pleased but she lets them both inside.

“Here I thought I would have to tend to someone on the team and then they tell me a boy in the crowd got knocked out?” She sighs, but leads them towards the small room in the back that Jeno knows from personal experience holds a small bed for resting. 

They stop again, and this time when he doesn’t move Donghyuck gives him a firm push. He even puts his hand on the door handle before opening the door himself and Jeno, who’s just about to complain, quickly bites his tongue when he sees Jaemin. Even after having been hit by a football he looks so very handsome and ethereal. He notices the way the room is bathed in the afternoon sun too, all golden and warm and making Jaemin look all that much prettier. It’s kind of cliche, really, but Jeno just can’t help it. 

His train of thought get cut off then, by Donghyuck clearing his throat next to him. Jeno almost flinches where he stands before he straightens a bit and lets out an incoherent sound. 

He lingers by the door and fiddles with his hands until Donghyuck pushes at him again. Jeno swears the younger rolls his eyes at him too. The push only makes him take a few steps into the room and he opens his mouth only to close it a second later. He feels like a fish. Jaemin laughs quietly and softly, and motions towards the chair standing next to his bed, the one that is reserved for visitors. Ducking his head, Jeno breathes in deeply to muster up some courage before he walks over to the other. Sitting down on the chair, he fumbles a little with his hands and then thumbs at the edges of his shorts. Just as he’s about to start apologising, he gets cut off; “You don’t have to apologise,” Jaemin says and Jeno is left sitting quiet again before he shakes his head, stubborn as ever.

“I’m sorry, like really, really sorry—“

“I know.”

Jeno looks up to see Jaemin still smiling. How anyone can look so angelic despite having just been knocked out, he has no idea but it makes his worries bleed away just a little. Slowly but surely he relaxes in his seat, nodding in reply just as slowly.

The silence settles around them after that. Even when it feels comfortable, the setting sun makes everything feel that much calmer, Jeno can’t help but feel like there’s something hanging over his head. He knows what it is, knows there was something he had planned to do but now that he’s sitting in front of the the one and only Na Jaemin, he doesn’t know how—or where—to begin.

“My reply is yes,” Jaemin then says and it surprises Jeno, leaving him blinking confusedly for a few seconds.

“What?” he asks, and he draws his eyebrows together just a little to try and not get too lost in the way Jaemin smiles all sweetly. “Your reply is...Yes?”

Jaemin laughs brightly. “Yes, I want to go out with you.”

Jeno blinks again and then his furrow deepens. He feels at loss for words for a second but when he finally regains some control over himself, he lets out a low, “Your reply is yes...You want to go out with me?” There’s a slight lilt to his tone, still surprised as he add, “But I haven’t even asked you yet, how did you—“ Cutting himself off, Jeno quickly whips around and his gaze falls on Donghyuck who’s standing behind him, seemingly feigning innocence. 

“Don’t look at me like that, Jeno, I only told him about the plan because you’ve been taking so long to do it yourself.” 

“I was waiting for the right moment, and you knew that!” Despite raising his tone just a little, Jeno just rolls his eyes; he can’t stay mad at Donghyuck that long anyway and they both know it. 

“C’mon, I was just helping you a little and see, Jaemin said yes,” Donghyuck chirps. Jeno doesn’t even have to look at his friend to know that he’s grinning wide; playing the mischievous role so well. He pretends to not hear though, and instead looks at Jaemin, who laughs a little, probably at the way they bicker. “Alright, alright, a good cupid knows when to leave though, so I...I’ll just leave you two love birds alone. Don’t do anything weird in here, okay?” Donghyuck continues and then, just like he’d said, he’s gone and the door clicks shut behind them.

Without Donghyuck in the room, the air feels a little awkward around them again and Jeno hesitantly speaks up, tone just a little nervous as he asks, “So…uh…How’s your head?” 

“I’m fine, but you really know how to kick a ball. I guess that’s why you’re on the football team, right?” 

Jeno laughs awkwardly and lifts a hand to rub at his neck. 

“It was kind of cute, actually. I’m just sad I didn’t get to see the rest of the game though…” Jaemin huffs, and then he pouts, and Jeno is transfixed just like that; gaze drawn to the brunette as he looks so very soft. “Did you guys win the game at least?”

The question brings a slight smile to Jenos lips and he nods, almost carefully and a bit sheepish. “We did, we won. No thanks to me, though. Mark did the finishing goal.”

“Oh, don’t put yourself down, Jeno—” Jaemin smiles, all toothy and brightly. “You did great, okay? I just missed the end, remember?”

The words make Jeno smile a little wider and he briefly looks down to his lap again. “Thank you.” He looks up again just as he feels Jaemin reach out to put a hand over his, gently lacing their fingers together. The action brings just a little hint of colour to Jeno’s features though he pretends it doesn’t affect him.

"So...let's go on a date as soon as my world stops spinning?" Jaemin says, and Jeno can't help but laugh softly and then nod.

"Of course."

**Author's Note:**

> ♥


End file.
